An atzeres tefilla was called for Monday, 12 Iyar 5774 at Kever Dovid HaMelech amid reports Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu plans to give a portion of the tziyun to the Vatican. The plan refers to the upper floor, which will become a religious prayer site for Roman Christians. State officials deny any such deal has been made by the Italian media states otherwise, reporting a deal was signed.

Officials have begun renovations ahead of the papal visit and activists working to save the site report “Even the mezuzah was been taken out ahead of the pope’s arrival”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Ze’ev Elkin stated during a Knesset discussion on the kever “the moment I received this post from my predecessor Danny Ayalon, the responsibility for talks with the Vatican, I did not have even a half minute of talks regarding Kever Dovid”.

The pope is scheduled to arrive in Jerusalem in two weeks, and the ISA (Israel Security Agency – Shin Bet) and other security agencies planned to close the Kosel and the surrounding area from the night before the pope’s Kosel visit. Following the intervention of Kosel Rabbi Shmuel Rabinowitz filed harsh objections, explaining a papal visit does not justify disrupting neitz minyanim that have been ongoing for decades. Rabinowitz stated that if the visit cannot be pushed off a few hours then it should be canceled in order to not disrupt the morning tefilos.

While the Shas affiliated Yom L’Yom newspaper reported the Kosel visit was canceled, it appears the report is not accurate and the visit will take place, albeit later in the day to accommodate shachris minyanim.

According to a JDN report, a Jewish woman wishing to be mispallel at the kever two weeks ago was banished from the site by Christian woman who pulled on her hair covering.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)